Province seeking award nominees

If you’ve had especially good dealings with provincial civil servants, this is your chance to have them honoured.

Nominations are now open for the 2014 Premier's Award for Excellence in the Public Service

Last September, Tim Earing of Prince Albert was one of the award winners, which are made in the categories of quality service, innovation and leadership.

Earing, who works at the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure Prince Albert Fleet Services facility, received a Premier's Award for Excellence in the Public Service for his work on promoting apprenticeship.

“It is very nice to be recognized for it,” Earing told the Daily Herald at the time. “It is kind of a humbling thing when you see all the other recipients and the work they did. It is nice to be recognized in that group of people.”

“Tim Earing’s tireless efforts to help develop and promote trades has positively impacted First Nations and Métis people, students, other public servants and created a larger pool of apprentice and journeyperson mechanics needed within the Ministry and the private sector,” the release said. “Mr. Earing accomplished this by implementing numerous initiatives at the Ministry’s Prince Albert Fleet Services facility, which is used as an on-site classroom. These actions include a training partnership with the Prince Albert Heavy Equipment Truck and Transport Mechanics Program offered through the Dumont Technical Institute, opportunities for high school students to earn classroom credit and tours for elementary school students so they learn about the trades as a potential career option.

“Mr. Earing also spends countless hours on the frontlines of the shop floor by mentoring new mechanics in the Ministry’s Aboriginal Apprenticeship Program for Heavy Duty Mechanics and Welders.”

An independent committee chooses up to six winners from nominees that come from government ministries, some Treasury Board Crown corporations, boards, commissions and agencies.

The awards, which were established in 2003, can be given to individuals or teams. The winners receive a pewter trophy and a lapel pin bearing the Saskatchewan coat of arms with the provincial motto and a certificate that is presented by the premier.

“The award recognizes provincial public servants who have gone above and beyond by making outstanding and innovative contributions to the government and to citizens,” Premier Brad Wall said in a release. “It’s a way to say ‘thank you’ to those individuals or teams for helping make Saskatchewan a better place to live by embracing the opportunities and meeting the challenges that come with growth.”

Information on how to nominate someone is available on the province’s website.